Mr. Deripaska's ceding of an interest in the German construction company and the Canadian auto-parts maker show how severely the global credit crisis is affecting the wealth of at least some of Russia's oligarchs.

WSJ: Russia's Deripaska Faces Western Investigations

The company was forced to sell off 90% of the production, ceding control to BP Amoco, in order to finance a multibillion-dollar project that included pipelines to carry the oil 500 miles from the Andes to Colombia's coast.

FORBES: One Tamed Wildcat

The company may be content to program business computers, but Mr. Kempin says ceding innovation to competitors will spell the end for Mr. Ballmer.

WSJ: Steve Ballmer's Epitaph